History & Traditions

Foundation

Toowoomba Grammar School is one of the oldest and most well-established boys’ boarding schools in Australia, established by the community, for the community in 1875. It is one of the original Grammar Schools of Queensland, established under an Act of the Queensland Parliament known as the Grammar Schools’ Act 1860 (Qld). The land on which the School was built remains Crown land today under perpetual leases to the Board of Trustees.

Original School Building

School House, the original school building, was constructed thanks to the generous donations of local farming families and business people. It was designed by Willoughby Powell and remains one of Toowoomba’s most significant heritage buildings.

Headmasters

Toowoomba Grammar School has had just 16 Headmasters, including the current Headmaster, Dr John Kinniburgh who commenced in the role in 2021. The first Headmaster, Mr John Mackintosh also conducted the School’s first lesson on 1 February 1877. There were 44 students, 24 dayboys and 20 boarders. Lessons were in a classroom designed for 160 students which is now known as Old Hall. Mr Mackintosh was sadly killed in a horse-riding accident at Helidon in 1879 at the age of 43.

The longest serving Headmasters include:

• Mr George Pitty Barbour - 1910-35
• Mr William Dent - 1970-91
• Mr Peter Hauser - 2003-20
  

GPS Association

In 1920, Toowoomba Grammar School was invited to become a member school of the Great Public Schools Association of Queensland (GPS) which was founded two years earlier. To this day, we compete in ten GPS sports and activities against the eight other GPS schools (three of which are Grammar schools). The nine members schools comprise some of the most well-known schools in Australia:

• Toowoomba Grammar School
• Brisbane Grammar School
• Ipswich Grammar School
• St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace
• St Joseph’s College Nudgee
• Brisbane State High School
• Anglican Church Grammar School (‘Churchie’)
• Brisbane Boys’ College
• The Southport School

The history and traditions of Toowoomba Grammar School will always be recognised for the significant role they have played in the growth and development of this fine school and the boys who have passed through the school gates.

It is these traditions that evoke so many fond memories and enhance the bond of the ‘boys of the blue and gold’ resulting in significant connections and engagement for our TGS Old Boys.

The School

These are our days
that shall be your days
whose shadows, in advance, wait
behind the desks, that we'll vacate.

This is our voice
that shall be your voice,
and the time and the place in the world
that we'll travel shall be treasured like inherited gold.

And these are our colours
that shall be your colours,
whether we come before or wait,
till we say goodbye at the School gate.

I'll be your world
and you'll be my world;
the School makes us one.
This shall be learnt from all that we've done.

David Rowbotham, TGS Old Boy 1939-1940
(written for the School, 1995)